The Beginning
by Fangirlfortheages
Summary: I love Bare very much so I wrote my very first fic about it. Please be gentle but I would greatly appreciate feedback! Unfinished because I'm having trouble writing the smut cause I'm such a prude.


St. Cecilia's imposing stone dorms towered above the grassy countryside. They stared daggers at the students below, a bunch grumpy that their summer long absence was coming to a close. But although their mandatory Catholic education was about to begin, there was, undeniably, excitement in the air; even stubborn teen angst cannot not withstand heartfelt reunions with dear friends.  
A small ruby-red Cadillac crunched the gravel as it pulled up the circular driveway.  
"Peter," a mother named Claire Simmonds said as she pulled up to the curb, "do you want me to help you with your stuff?".  
"No that's fine Mom, I got it." said Peter Simmonds, a baby-faced senior, as he looked out onto the scattering of students and parents in the courtyard. He could feel his hands start to sweat already. It must be a positive sort of anxiety, he told himself. You've missed the company of people your own age.  
"Well let me just pull it out of the trunk for you." Claire responded with classic, snappy maternal caution. Ms. Simmonds was never one for hands-off parenting; even her child's boarding school was only an hour or so from their house. Suddenly her phone rang. "Oh shoot.  
I have to take this. Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye. Hello?..."  
Peter opened the door and adjusted his button down shirt and tie. He looked up at St. Cecelia's familiar stone monoliths, and took a moment to ponder his senior year. This was his last first day, something he would never have again. The moment did not last long, however, because a familiar, piercing voice seized his attention.  
"Peter!"  
"Ivy!" a dark-haired girl jogged up to Peter.  
"I missed you mama's boy!" she said, loping him into a big bear hug, her voice muffled by Peter's cotton shirt. He had missed her too. Although he'd known her for most of his life, they'd become much closer the previous year. At Matt's birthday party last fall, they had commiserated in the hell of divorce while gorging on stolen Halloween candy.  
"I missed you too." He released her. "How was your break?" She stood confidently in front of him, one hand on a popped hip, clad in her school uniform of a plaid skirt and white blouse. Peter loved talking to Ivy. She was, in his eyes, the epitome of grace and charm. She knew herself, a librarian who had read every book in her own library. Peter envied that knowledge.  
"Oh, it was fantastic. I took New York by storm." She emanated a dual energy, enthusiastic and composed at once. A genuine smile paired with disinterested posture. However, Ivy felt wobbly. Unbeknownst to Peter, she had arrived at school almost three hours ago, her mother had had a pressing date in court with her father. But Ivy was resourceful; she had used the opportunity to unpack early, dry her tears, and greet each of her classmates in turn as they arrived.  
"Did they welcome you with a red carpet?"  
"Yes, the mayor himself met me at at JFK with the key to the city. Bow before me, commoner."  
Peter was about to offer his next clever line, but someone called her name; she turned to enthusiastically greet another student. Cut short, he moved to grab his stuff from the trunk. She smiled and waved at another passing senior before following him to the rear of the car. He leaned over the back to reach for his suitcase.  
"So…" she said, her voice sliding upward in pitch, "who are you rooming with?" She leaned against the popped hood of the trunk, and it crashed into Peter's head.  
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, I didn't expect it to do be so loose!" She reached out and touched the injury but Peter scooted away and rubbed it with his own hand.  
"It's fine. It doesn't hurt too bad." he reassured her.  
"Jesus, I'm sorry." she said, laughing slightly to relax the tension.  
"Really it's fine. Anyway, I'm rooming with Jason."  
"That's funny. I guess we each get a McConnell."  
"You're with Nadia again?"  
"Yes indeed. So expect to find a body sometime before Christmas."  
Peter chuckled. "She'd better watch out. For real? I think you could get away with murder."  
"Hmmm…If you think so, maybe I should give it a try."  
"You think I might find Jared's skeleton in your closet?" Jared was her ex-boyfriend. Ivy playfully slapped him with the back of her hand.  
"God, Peter! That was a low blow." He smiled at his own witty remark.  
Claire appeared from around the car. "Hello Ivy! It's nice to see you."  
"You too, Ms. Simmonds"  
Peter briefly hugged Claire. "I love you, Mom"  
"Goodbye Peter. I'll see you soon!"  
Peter turned with his bags and walked with Ivy through the stone archway. He turned one last time and waved at his mother. She blew a kiss through the passenger window then drove off.  
"C'mon", urged Ivy. She was growing impatient "I want to see everyone else!" She grabbed his hand, and they headed for the main hall.

Ivy accelerated up the stone steps. Each edge was jagged and firm as though the saints themselves had laid down the bricks. Peter's fairly heavy wheeled bag twisted and turned, straining his wrist as it jostled. The dusty corridors leading to the main sanctuary were lined with wood paneled lockers, each decorated with a engraved cross of the same wood stain. The students often asked why the school building had lockers when their dorms were on campus; why not just remove them? But the administration never responded.  
Peter headed toward the main hall but was violently yanked in the opposite direction by his friend. "Why aren't we going to the commons?" asked a perplexed Peter.  
"Cause' why the hell would we begin the year by behaving?" replied Ivy as she dragged him around a tight corner.  
"Why do I even ask..." Peter muttered, but he found himself quietly smiling. At last, he remembered the familiar joys of the school year.  
The cafeteria looked exactly as it always had, its laminate tables and benches contrasting with the grand wooden walls, and framed in the center were Peter's friends, only three of them.  
"Guess who I found!" shouted Ivy, triumphant, raising Peter's hand and shaking him as a prize. She strut across the floor with Peter in tow like a heavy weight champion with his secured golden belt.  
"Peter!" shouted Tanya, who immediately rushed in for a hug.  
"My man!", exclaimed Lucas, the chains looped on his baggy pants clinking as he reached in for the manly pat-on-the-back/handshake.  
"Peterrrrrrrrrrah!" shrieked Nadia, rolling her R's. She wore heavy eyeshadow and dark, perfectly done lipstick, which accentuated the pink highlights in her short, dark hair. She stood more slowly and less gracefully than the rest of her friends. Her center of gravity took longer to stabilize.  
"Hey guys!", exclaimed Peter, hugging everyone. "Where's Matt and Jason?"  
"Well Matt's off being a goody-goody or, as I like to think, kissing Father Bertram's ass," Tanya replied, "And.."  
"Jason's unpacking." interrupted Nadia. "Guess he couldn't bear to be in the same room with me after that long ass car ride."  
"Probably cause' he was getting squished by your fat ass" Ivy calmly interjected.  
"Not here an hour and already starting the abuses? This year is gonna be fun."  
"Take it easy ladies," said Lucas "Year's only just begun. Now, why don't we get down to  
business?" Lucas perched on the shiny tabletop. He played the "gangsta" rapper with unearned confidence. "What do we do for our annual, and last, beginning of the year troublemaking?"  
Peter swallowed his fear. He loved his friends but their persistent habit of tempting expulsion never ceased to make him anxious. Yet even so, their plans were strangely intoxicating, a mysterious high within himself which he dare not probe.  
"What if we just get shit faced out of our minds?" suggested Tanya. "It's simple and a guaranteed hit."  
"I'm down." voted Ivy. "Peter, you with me?" Before Peter could answer, Ivy interjected again. "And why's your tie so tight? Aren't you choking to death?" she reached over and fiddled with Peter's starch polyester tie.  
"For your information…," he took a moment to conjure a comeback, "I'm not…asphyxiating right now." Peter cringed. Asphyxiating?  
"Well loosen up, or you'll have a stroke."  
Lucas tried to refocus the conversation. "I'm still waiting for ideas. You guys are the most uncreative people I've ever met."  
"We could go skinny dipping." said Ivy.  
"Why am I not surprised?" Nadia moaned.  
"That's perfect. Fun and family friendly." Lucas jumped off the table and began pacing in  
thought. Tanya raised her hand. "Yes? The little lady in the front."  
"We could go to the town pool after dark. Like in a horror movie."  
"Alright I'm sold." replied Lucas scooting up next to Tanya, not subtly eyeing her up and  
down, "Water day will be Friday. Get ready kids; we're going out like rockstars this year."

Peter rolled his bag down the carpeted hallway, scanning the doors for room number 137. He felt the brass door key heavily in his pocket. He remembered his new roommate, Jason, trying to recall everything he knew about him. He was Nadia's brother, handsome, with a magnetism that sucked girls in. He was master of conversation; he was mister popular. Is that term even relevant anymore? Peter, on the other hand, even within their small class, had yet to converse with everyone; he doubted most knew his name. Don't think about it so much.  
Peter pulled the bag upright next to him, took a deep breath in his nose and out his mouth, then knocked on the door a steady three times. A pause. No response. Once more he attempted. A small, panicked flame flickered in his chest.  
"Peter!", called a voice down the hall. He jerked to the sound. Jason McConnell, with towel in hand and shiny with sweat, loped down the hall. "Hey man, it's good to see you!" He extended a hand to shake. They locked eyes.  
"It's good to see you too." Peter smiled meekly. "Guess we're gonna be living together now." He gestured toward the closed door. Then, his not-so-graceful hand slapped down at his side, hitting his thigh audibly. He winced at his own clumsiness.  
"Yeah, man. Uh...you don't have a key?" Jason asked.  
"N…no. I just thought you were inside."  
"Oh well I just went for a run. Need to keep in shape for basketball. Didn't have a  
chance to this morning."  
"Right. Because you were leaving."  
Peter gave a brief, tense smile then glanced at the floor. Unsure of who should open the door, both reached for their keys. Seeing Jason do the same, Peter clandestinely retracted his hand from his own pocket.  
The key clicked in the lock. The smell of bleach invaded Peter's nose as Jason cracked open the door. It made a shushing sound as it glided over the generic industrial grade blue carpet. The room was of modest size, with two beds parallel against either wall, a dresser between them and two small desks next to the closet door. An oddly small window was slightly skewed to the left and above it, a wooden cross, spaced symmetrically. One bed was made with a deep blue comforter.  
"Well, home sweet home," Jason remarked, setting his towel on the made bed, "I hope you don't mind, I picked a bed already."  
"No it's fine. I think I want this one anyway." He set his bag down and glanced at the cross on the wall. Jason took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face.  
"Are you excited for school to start?" asked Jason.  
"I mean..it is school so...I guess not." a bare chuckle, "But it's nice seeing everybody again."  
"Yeah, I agree."  
"Did you see everyone? I didn't see you with them this morning."  
"Yeah, I just wanted to unpack. Get it out of the way." said Jason. They glanced at each  
other for a few seconds, before Peter zipped open his bag and began to unpack. Peter remained acutely aware of Jason's presence while he reached for each cotton button-down. After a few seconds, he caught himself with a clenched jaw and so released it, but the burning from the pressure and now the purposefully slack jaw made his discomfort only more prescient. There was a deafening silence, only disrupted by the rustling of fabric and release of bedspring. Peter could feel a familiar stiffness overtake each joint. His neck and knees were bent so strangely. If only he could…no that's worse now. Better stay still, but not too still. He envisioned himself from Jason's point of view, as though in a movie. A medium shot over Jason's shoulder with himself slightly off center. He wondered what the audience would take away from his performance.  
Meanwhile, Jason could only see Peter's vacant back. He sensed something unusual in his new roommate. Not quite sure what it was. Then, desperate to relieve himself of awkward staring, he laid down flat on his bed, a hand behind his head and one knee propped up. Peter busied himself with unpacking. After a minute, Jason turned his head from the ceiling to look at the preoccupied Peter. After a few moments of more mildly awkward silence, Jason sat up and elected to restart their conversation.  
"Hey, who do you have? For teachers, I mean." Peter turned his face toward Jason while hunched over his bag.  
"Um...Carmen, Donegall, Raffey, Chantelle and…that's it"  
"Cool...I'm a little annoyed. I have Savage."  
"Ugh that sucks." Now Peter had moved from his uncomfortable position into active  
movement, transporting folded clothes from his bed to the closet.  
Pleasantries were managed in their dry, pointless conversation easily enough, but beyond that, neither could find it in them to keep up appearances. For Peter, this was hardly new. But for Jason, it was something strange. He'd expected the flow of conversation to take him, like normal, but there was only silence. A deep hollow feeling spewed forth within him. To keep busy, Jason grabbed the summer reading book he had yet to finish off his dresser. But Jane Austen's words were slimy and his mind wandered. He began to sweat; his trackpants and comforter roasting his thighs, as though it were a hot day at summer camp rather than a crisp, windy September afternoon. After several minutes, he looked up to see Peter sitting next to the drawers folding clothes on the floor. Peter glanced up just as Jason quickly turned away. Minutes passed.  
"Hey, I'm gonna go take a shower." said Jason finally.  
"Okay." responded Peter. He smiled at him, and it confirmed to Jason that the awkwardness was not one of hostility but of unfamiliarity.  
Jason grabbed a towel from then dresser, walked out into the hallway and then, finally, breathed.

"Hey you comin'?" called Jason from outside the dorm bathroom.  
Peter was buttoning up his shirt in the grimy bathroom mirror. "Yeah, one sec."  
He started out the door, but turned a second into mirror. He slipped a finger between his  
tie and shirt collar, tugging lightly.  
Jason only wore a white t-shirt and jeans, while Peter wore his school shirt and pants with a tie.  
"What's with the tie?" inquired Jason, as they started walking down the hall.  
"I figured if I'm dressed up Father Sanchez wouldn't think we're going to something undignified."  
"But we are going to something undignified."  
"Well aren't you clever." said Peter, smiling at him. But he quickly retracted from his bold posture, upon seeing Jason's attentive eyes, and stared at the floor. Jason glanced at Peter's flustered face with a slight smile. He felt charmed…or mild amusement. He quickly distracted himself.  
"Are we sure Sanchez is on gate duty?"  
"Yeah. Matt's working in the dean's office so he has the schedule." A priest was assigned to keep track of students who left campus after classes were over. It was school policy for students to check in with the priest before and after their outing. However, Sanchez was notoriously lax with checking in. As long one person returned sober you could usually skate by. So, the group had waited a week until he was on duty to have their fun.  
Outside the droms, the group waited for them, including, formerly absentee Matt.  
"They're here lets bounce." said Lucas, Tanya on his arm. All were dressed down to a degree, and covertly wearing starchy bathing suits underneath their clothes.  
"Wait, where's Nadia?" asked Jason.  
"She said she had some work to do." Ivy shrugged.  
Jason gave her a quizzical look, "But school only just started!" Ivy shrugged once again, brushing the matter aside. She leaned heavily on Lucas. Peter figured she had been pre-gaming.  
"Hey, are you okay?" Matt asked Ivy. Matt dressed like a token jock, but did so with intent. The bags under his eyes betrayed late nights; his talk displayed a stale yet manicured confidence, like an elderly woman who, although her hands shook, still put on eyeliner in the morning.  
"Yeah, of course I am. I'm just ready to go!" She abandoned Lucas and stumbled into Matt's arms. "C'mon, big boy." She shot him a goofy smile and slapped his chest, before leading the group toward the outside gate.

Pool chlorine seemed to overtake the kids as they arrived. The surface of the water was devoid of the slightest ripple and the footsteps of the gang echoed with epic sound. Peter inexplicably found beauty in the stillness of the pool. The reflection of the water on the walls, the perfect painted lines under the water, the glossy, undisturbed surface...  
"Well what're you losers waiting for?" Lucas asked, as he tore off his shirt. Ivy let out a high pitched woo. Matt, from behind her, flicked his eyes up at her, before convincing himself it was nothing. Lucas finished undoing his belt and dropped his pants to the floor revealing oversized boxers, which acted as a swimsuit. He promptly cannonballed into the pool. The splash coated them all. Tanya squealed.  
Lucas surfaced, shook his head, and wiped his face with his hands. "C'mon nerds!" He backstroked away from them, gleefully. Tanya began to disrobe and so did Ivy. Then, Matt, then Jason and finally Peter. One by one they each dived into the pool.  
Jason cautiously sat on the edge before lowering himself into the water. "God it's freezing!" he said, his arms raised and shoulders tense to avoid the frigid surface.  
"Don't be a pussy Jason!" taunted Ivy, she skimmed her hand just below the surface and flung a tidal wave in his direction. He opened his mouth and scrunched his eyes at the shock.  
"Oh, you're gonna get it." He waded, cumbersome, toward Ivy, who beamed before quickly diving below his reach and playfully circling him under water.  
Matt chose this moment to join in the fun. He reached under and grabbed at Ivy, who saw his fingers, pushed off the floor and again darted out of reach.  
"Jesus, this is gonna be difficult." remarked Matt to Jason, who took a step back from the action. Matt smiled at the shadow of Ivy coming up to the surface. Her head tilted back to keep the hair out of her eyes as she resurfaced.  
She gasped for air."Thank you, Camp Green Lane!" she panted, "What are you fuckers gonna do about it?"  
Matt wagged his finger. "Tsk tsk. But you forgot one thing, missy."  
"Oh yeah? What's that, shitface?"  
"I took lessons every Thursday afternoon." He jumped and seized Ivy by the shoulders.  
She screamed, and splashed furiously; Matt seized her by the waist. Ivy squealed. Jason lazily leaned back so only his head was exposed as he watched them. Peter lingered near the pool's edge, also watching the games Ivy and Matt played.  
"Jasoooon. Can't you play with us?" Ivy swam up perpendicularly to Jason, grabbed him by the elbow and pulled her chest onto his bicep and her head onto his shoulder. Jason laughed casually. Peter suddenly had to go to the bathroom. Matt, having been abandoned, looked on; he ran a hand through his damp hair.  
"Oh, c'mon Ivy. I'm not falling for your act. I'm not so easy to win over." Jason said with the tone of a kind parent. He looked into her sly eyes. Ivy was pushing him, so their bodies floated towards the pool's edge.  
"But I'm asking nicely." said Ivy. Jason's back hit the hard tile.  
"Get a room!" shouted Tanya, sitting on the edge of the opposite side of the pool with Lucas at her feet.  
"Shut up!" retorted Ivy.  
"You're drunk." said Jason.  
"I know that."  
"Hey Ivy, I got something for you…." cried Matt. And as Ivy turned from Jason, an epic wave overcame her. Matt grinned.  
An almost onomatopoeic gasp from her. "You bitch!" Completely forgetting Jason, she propelled off the pool wall and onto Matt. She tackled him from underwater.  
The door to the locker room slammed. Jason took account of everyone in the room and noticed one absence. He took note of Matt and Ivy's wrestling match and Tanya and Lucas' conversation then furtively took his leave.

"Peter?" Jason quietly called. The echo in the locker room made his normal volume sound inappropriate. "Peter?" He turned into the bathroom and startled his McGuffin.  
"Jesus, you scared me." said Peter. He was leaning against one of four chipped tile sinks.  
"Sorry."  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Oh nothing. I just…you left so suddenly I wanted to make sure you were alright."  
"Yeah I'm fine. Just had to pee." He knows you're lying.  
"Good" Jason leaned on the door frame. "Honestly, I think everyone is preoccupied in there…so to speak"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well Tanya and Lucas are in their own little world. And you know Matt's deal"  
"It is painfully obvious isn't it?"  
"Tanya was even like 'Get a room!'" They laughed. A pause. Peter looked at his one hand resting on the smooth white sink. Jason also stared at the floor. He pondered why he felt compelled to lie about the subject of Tanya's quip.  
"Did you drink anything? If you don't mind me…" Peter stumbled out.  
"No. I haven't had anything to drink since Lucas' party last year." replied Jason, "You wanna know something? I don't even like it that much. It makes me feel too…loose. Like I lose control you know? Maybe for a special occasion, but not for something like this."  
"Yeah."  
"Have you? Drank anything tonight."  
"No. Actually…I haven't really been drunk before."  
"Wait. Really? But I've seen you! Last year at graduation."  
"Nope. I was faking."  
"What? How have you managed that for so many years?"  
"Sometimes," Peter exhaled a tiny chuckle "I'll pretend to drink out of the bottle but use my tongue to block it from going in" At this, Jason laughed.  
"What?" Peter asked, only mildly defensive.  
"Really? So every time there's a party, you do that? Every time?"  
"Yeah…So?" Peter couldn't help but smile slightly.  
"And no one else knows?"  
"No."  
"You're such a liar! What else have you lied to us about?" Jason beamed. He enjoyed teasing his shy friend.  
"What? That's unfair!" Peter was smiling at Jason's merry derision.  
"How can you do that and just never tell anyone?"  
"I don't know."  
"I just…feel like that's so much effort for nothing."  
"I mean you're not wrong. I mean…you are wrong. It's not for nothing"  
"What's it for?"  
Peter swallowed. He felt compelled to tell him. Maybe it was the goofy smile or perhaps he felt Jason would be able to see through any lie with his shining blue eyes. He cautiously picked his words.  
"I'm worried that once I start drinking, and I mean really drinking, I won't be able to stop." Peter looked straight into Jason's steady gaze.  
"That's a valid reason."  
"That I'll lose control of myself, you know?"  
"Some say that alcohol makes you become yourself."  
"I'm a little skeptical."  
"Huh." Jason leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed and his grin smug. "I'm like corrupting you now aren't I? The little devil on your shoulder."  
"Good." smiled Peter. He looked where he wanted to: straight into the devil's blue eyes.  
Suddenly, they heard the slapping of hurried, bare feet. Jason looked around the corner of the entryway to see panicked Lucas skip around a row of lockers. "Hey, we gotta bounce! We've been spotted."  
Jason and Peter glanced at each other, a moment of panicked understanding, before briskly following Lucas through the maze of winding lockers.


End file.
